Derailment April 7, 1933

The following front page story appeared in the Boulder Creek Ledger on Sunday, April 7, 1933...

After the article appeared, Mr. Towne Comee, a good friend of the company and the CEO, was heard to suggest in the local bar  that ''the railroad needs to consider a better spokesperson than the President.  His unfortunate choice of words indicate a hot temper.  While the incident was unfortunate, I do not feel his remarks were warranted in light of the fact that the accident caused no permanent damage to product of equipment.''  (Towne prides himself on carefully choosing his phrases).

Mr. Towne Comee is in advertising, by the way, and longs for the day when he can be a railroad mogul in his own right and CEO of his own railroad.  He has, in fact, already given this as yet non-existent railroad a name (the Sierra Western Railway) even though not a single foot of track has yet been laid.  Over the years, he has busied himself with collecting locomotives and equipment (most of these pieces are also busying themselves with collecting rust, dust, and/or wood rot while languishing in storage), and dreaming of the day when time and the requisite ambition will allow track-laying to finally commence!  In the mean time, he continues to try to insinuate his way into a lucrative position as Santa Cruz Lumber Company Press Agent and Public Relations Man, a position for which he feels himself eminently more qualified than the hair-triggered CEO.  Up to this point, though, the Old Man thoroughly enjoys his own peculiar version of preening for the press, too much so to delegate these coveted opportunities. Consequently, he has continued to reject Towne's advances, as well as a good deal of his advice with regard to the company public image (the Old Man can be a stubborn old mule).  Interestingly, these two men remain fast friends.

As for the CEO, it's true that he's an opinionated and crusty old fart with a quick temper, but he's mostly bluster.  His tantrums pass as quickly as they come, and he does well by his crews.  Most of them appreciate the fact that they have a job at a time when others are in bread lines, and the CEO pays them very well indeed... more than he has to.  He believes good employees are his REAL bread and butter, and in that is far ahead of his time.  He has earned their loyalty and respect.  They all know he just enjoys ''playing wheel'' in front of the news folks! 

Several photos of the incident taken by the newspaper photographer follow...

Full operation was restored by the following day.  Once the mess was cleaned up and the cars placed back on the track, the logs were placed back on the cars and continued their trip to the sawmill.